Geologische Abhandlungen von Hessen 2004, 114, 7-14 (Engl. translation 2010)

ANDREAS BOOSS* Vineyard Demarcation, Vineyard Register, Vineyard Index, Geographic Classification

In , vine grapes may only be planted clearing. In Hesse this right to re-establish a within defined units of land (as of 1984), the vineyard may be transferred to another parcel of so-called exactly demarcated vineyards (except land within a holding. Article 6 of the WL also where the 100 m² regulation applies, according permits the transfer of this right to another hold- to article 3 of the Wine Act (WA)). ing within a wine-growing area if “this serves to Article 7 of the Wine Law (WL) and article 3 of promote the quality of the wine or if the wine the Wine Act prohibit the planting of new vine- growing capability of the new parcel of land is at yards. The minimum requirements for obtaining least equivalent to the previous parcel” (article permission to establish a vineyard are subject 4 of the Wine Law regulatory statutes of Hesse). to stringent control. For example, the potential vineyard must be capable of producing quality An exactly demarcated vineyard can be further wine and the owner must ensure that the wine differentiated into: can be marketed. The relevant authority bases • Potential area for growing wine (PW) its decision concerning the suitability of the land • The permitted area for growing wine (= area after reviewing the findings of an expert com- presently under cultivation + area with permit mittee (Paragraph 7 WL, Paragraph 3 – 7 WA, for growing wine) Paragraph 5 of the Wine Law regulatory statutes • Area under cultivation (= young vineyard ar- of Hesse). ea+ harvested area) According to Paragraph 4, EU Regulation No. • Harvested area (HA) (= vineyard area, from 1493/1999, a previous vineyard may be re-es- second harvest onwards after planting (article tablished within 13 years of a properly recorded 2 No. 7 WL).

Exemplary calculation of HA:

Period wine year (WY): August 1 – July 31 (Art. x 100 hl/ha = 432.5 hl). The present yield 1, Section 4 of EU Regulation No. 1493/1999). per hectare for the wine growing regions in Planted on May 2, 2000: Hesse “” and “Hessische Bergstrasse” First WY after planting= is 100 hl. August 1, 2000 to July 31, 2001 The total yield per hectare is defined as the Second WY after planting = maximum volume of grapes and grape products August 1, 2001 to July 31, 2002 that a holding may sell in one year from a single After this date the area counts as HA and is harvest. Surplus yields may be stored and sold in included in the calculation of the total yield low yield years. per hectare of the holding (e.g. 4.3250 ha

* Dr. A. Booß (e-mail: [email protected]), Regierungspräsidium , Dezernat Weinbauamt , Wallufer Straße 19, D-65343 Eltville.

7 Geologische Abhandlungen von Hessen 2004, 114, 7-14 (Engl. translation 2010)

Examples: 500 ha according to Article 1, such as Belgium 1. Surplus yields: and Holland, are exempt from the register. A holding produces grapes from a vineyard Article 2 specifies the basic structure of the covering 1 ha and is permitted to sell 100 Vineyard Register. According to this, the register hl/ha per year. In 1998/1999 the harvest is divided into a production and a holding file. amounted to 120 hl. The remaining 20 hl are stored. In 1999/2000 the vineyard only yields Production and holding file 80 hl. The holding may then sell the surplus The holding file lists every holding currently 20 hl from the previous harvest (80 hl + 20 managing land for growing wine. The most im- hl = 100hl). portant details recorded in the register are: 2. Low yield • Identity and location of the holding A holding produces grapes from a vineyard • The parcels of land planted with vines divided covering 1 ha and is permitted to sell 100 into management status (fallow, young vine- hl/ha per year. In 1998/1999 the harvest yard, producing vineyard, abandoned vineyard, amounted to 70 hl and 130 hl in 1999/2000. variety, age) and type of ownership (leased, The “underproduction” from 1998/1999 can- property). not be transferred – it is forfeited. The production file encompasses the process- ing and marketing of viticultural products and As of the harvest in 2000 (= WY 2000/2001) the registration instructions. In both cases the the stored volume of surplus yield has been re- information shall not be made available to third stricted to 20 % per harvest for the two wine parties (data privacy protection). growing regions in Hesse. All excess must be A period of 6 years was stipulated for complet- converted to industrial alcohol by the 15th of De- ing the register, which was met by the School cember of the following year. of Viticulture within the Agency of Viticulture In a meeting held in Dublin in 1984, the and the authorities commissioned by the federal Council of the European Union agreed to com- state for the task. Since the introduction of the pile a vineyard register. According to Article 64a Vineyard Register, the data for the entire wine- of EU Regulation No. 337/79 in the revised EU growing area of Hesse has been recorded elec- Regulation No. 775/85 (today Article 20 of EU tronically. Regulation No. 1493/1999) concerning the or- The rules for establishing the vineyard regis- ganization of the wine market, the Council of ter are specified in the Commission Regulation the European Union was obligated to issue gen- 649/87. eral regulations concerning the introduction of a Council Regulation (EEC) No 2392/86 distin- vineyard register for the Community. guishes between obligatory information and op- The council fulfilled this obligation by issuing tional information, which each member state may EU Regulation 2392/86 on July 24, 1986, which choose to provide (App. I, Commission Regulation outlines the purpose of the register to document 649/87). The state of Hesse has opted to provide the data concerning the production potential and only the obligatory data. The optional informa- development within the community. The infor- tion comprises the planted rootstock varieties, as mation contained in the register shall contribute well as the owner of the holding. However, it is to the smooth functioning of the joint market becoming increasingly apparent that other data organization for wine. The consolidation of all may be of interest to all. For example, the natural recorded information into one register is also im- conditions such as slope gradient (demarcation of portant in this context. steep vineyards) or water protection areas. For economic and technical reasons, all mem- From the start, the Office of Viticulture and ber states with a total vineyard area less than School of Viticulture in Eltville has endeavored

8 Geologische Abhandlungen von Hessen 2004, 114, 7-14 (Engl. translation 2010) to reduce the workload for the winegrowers to a matters pertaining to applications for entry in bare minimum, by collecting as much data as pos- the Vineyard Index. The board shall put forward sible from other sources. This data was presented statements concerning the economic viability in compliance with strict privacy data protection of the site or district demarcation and decide regulations to each individual holding for correc- whether such a demarcation serves to preserve tion and completion by the owners. We are grate- the specific character of said vineyards” (Para- ful to the State Surveying Agency and the subor- graph 2 of the Vineyard Index Regulations). dinate offices and all others who worked together “Where feasible, the vineyard boundaries shall to complete the vineyard register. coincide with public roads or tracks, field mar- The quick completion of a functional register gins, water channels, or community boundaries” was only made possible by the dedicated work (Rules concerning the implementation of the (including many evening sessions) carried out by Vineyard Index Regulations). The exact position the staff of the Agency of Viticulture. of the vineyard is marked on a map. Each viticul- According to the previously mentioned “Vine- tural community organizes a vineyard committee yard Register Regulation” the register must be whose task it is to provide the community with updated at regular intervals. To comply with this recommendations and advice (paragraph 4 of the regulation, the Federal State of Hesse provides Regulations). The Rules of Implementation also each holding with an extract from the register gives details on the structure of the committees. once a year for assessment. Since only the reg- Wines from a particular wine-growing re- istered areas are used for calculating the total gion, the so-called Qualitätswein b. A. or Qual- production per hectare, it is vitally important for itätsschaumwein b. A. are provided with an ad- owners to register any changes. Failure to do so ditional geographical designation. In Hesse this will also result in consequences in relation to the would be “Rheingau” or “Hessische Bergstrasse”, Wine Law. where the vineyard area is distributed among 12 The holding file is the basis for the production and 9 towns and communities respectively (De- file, merchandizing as well as all other registra- marcation rules according to the Wine Laws of tions and activities. Hesse). Another, more specific designation of origin is the district which consists of several Vineyard index collective vineyards (Grosslage). In the Rheingau, The register is also the basis for the vineyard the district is called ”Bereich Johannisberg”. In index. This comprises an “index of all vineyards the Hessische Bergstrasse there are two districts (individual sites or combination of sites) and dis- “Starkenburg” and “Umstadt”. There are 12 col- tricts (a collective of vineyards) with maps de- lective vineyards in the Rheingau and 3 in the picting the position of vineyards and districts” Bergstrasse. The smallest geographical unit is the (Paragraph 1 of the Vineyard Index Regulations). individual site or vineyard, of which 119 are re- “The Agency for Viticulture shall have the final corded in the Rheingau and 24 in the Bergstrasse decision, after hearing a board of experts, in (Table 2 and 3).

9 Geologische Abhandlungen von Hessen 2004, 114, 7-14 (Engl. translation 2010)

The two wine-growing regions in Hesse, “Rhe- Tab. 1. Distribution of vineyards in both wine-grow- ingau” and “Hessische Bergstrasse” belong to ing regions in Hesse the smaller German wine-growing regions, com- prising just 3.6 % of the total vineyard area in Distribution Rheingau Bergstrasse Hesse [ha] [ha] [ha] . The Rheingau is ranked number 8, the Bergstrasse number 11 of the 13 German wine- Potential 4 152 761 4 913 growing regions. vineyard area The potential vineyard area is distributed over Current 3 167 444 3 611 vineyard area* 75000 lots or cadastral units. Since individual lots are often divided into smaller patches (especially Vineyard area- 3 102 428 3 530 (in production)* community patches) the number increases to ap- Fallow 985 317 1302 prox. 80000 “data units”, which must all be orga- vineyard area* nized in the vineyard register. * Dated July 31, 2003 Table 1 shows that the potential vineyard area is significantly higher in both regions than the ac- tual vineyard area (in production). This indicates likely to be expanded since planting rights have that there is a large potential for growth in both not been granted for the potential areas. areas. However, the current vineyard area is not

Index of referenced Laws and Regulations

Hessische weinrechtliche Abgrenzungsverord- EG VO Nr. 1282/2001 vom 29. Juni 2001 ABL. nung vom 14. Juni 1983 GVBl. I: 78 in der Nr. 176 in der jeweils gültigen Fassung jeweils gültigen Fassung EG VO Nr. 2392/1986 vom 24. Juli 1986 ABL. Weingesetz vom 16. Mai 2001 BGBl. I, Nr. 25: Nr. 208 in der jeweils gültigen Fassung 985 in der jeweils gültigen Fassung EG VO Nr. 649/1987 vom 03. März 1987 ABL. Neufassung der Weinverordnung vom 14. Mai Nr. 62 in der jeweils gültigen Fassung 2002 BGBl. I, Nr. 31: 1583 in der jeweils gül- Gesetz über die Weinbergsrolle vom 07. Okto- tigen Fassung ber 1970 GVBl. I: 543 in der jeweils gültigen Sechste Verordnung zur Änderung der Hessisch- Fassung en Ausführungsverordnung zum Weingesetz Verordnung zur Durchführung des Gesetzes über vom 16. Oktober 2003 GVBl. I: 78 die Weinbergsrolle vom 11. November 1970 EG VO Nr. 1493/1999 vom 17. Mai 1999 ABL. GVBl. I: 706 in der jeweils gültigen Fassung Nr. 179 in der jeweils gültigen Fassung EG VO Nr. 1227/2000 vom 31. Mai 2000 ABL. Nr. 143 in der jeweils gültigen Fassung

10 Geologische Abhandlungen von Hessen 2004, 114, 7-14 (Engl. translation 2010)

Tab. 2. Vineyard demarcation index of the Rheingau (Feb. 2004)

administrative collective collective vineyard vineyard regions vineyards assigned parish vineyard assigned parish

Lorchhausen Burgweg Rüdesheim or Lorch Rosenberg Lorchhausen Seligmacher Lorch Burgweg Rüdesheim or Lorch Schlossberg Lorch Kapellenberg Krone Pfaffenwies Bodental-Steinberg Aulhausen Steil Assmannshausen Höllenberg Assmannshausen Assmannshausen Steil Assmannshausen Frankenthal Assmannshausen Höllenberg Hinterkirch Rüdesheim Burgweg Rüdesheim or Lorch Berg Kaisersteinfels Rüdesheim Berg Roseneck Berg Rottland Berg Schlossberg Bischofsberg Drachenstein Kirchenpfad Klosterberg Klosterlay Magdalenenkreuz Rosengarten Eibingen Burgweg Rüdesheim or Lorch Klosterberg Rüdesheim Klosterlay Magdalenenkreuz Kirchenpfad Burgweg Rüdesheim or Lorch Fuchsberg Geisenheim Mäuerchen Mönchspfad Rothenberg Klosterberg Rüdesheim Geisenheim Erntebringer Johannisberg Schlossgarten Kilzberg Kläuserweg Klaus Johannisberg Johannisberg Erntebringer Johannisberg Kläuserweg Geisenheim Goldatzel Johannisberg Hansenberg Hölle Klaus Mittelhölle Schwarzenstein Vogelsang Winkel Erntebringer Johannisberg Dachsberg Winkel Johannisberg Gutenberg Johannisberg Hasensprung Johannisberg Jesuitengarten Johannisberg Schlossberg Johannisberg Klaus Johannisberg

11 Geologische Abhandlungen von Hessen 2004, 114, 7-14 (Engl. translation 2010)

Tab. 2. Vineyard demarcation index of the Rheingau (Feb. 2004)

administrative collective collective vineyard vineyard regions vineyards assigned parish vineyard assigned parish

Mittelheim Erntebringer Johannisberg St. Nikolaus Mittelheim Johannisberg Edelmann Johannisberg Goldberg Oestrich Gottesthal Oestrich Klosterberg Oestrich Lenchen Doosberg Mehrhölzchen Klosterberg Oestrich Hallgarten Mehrhölzchen Hallgarten Hendelberg Hallgarten Jungfer Schönhell Würzgarten Hattenheim Deutelsberg Hattenheim Engelmannsberg Hattenheim Hassel Heiligenberg Mannberg Nussbrunnen Pfaffenberg Rheingarten Schützenhaus Wisselbrunnen Jungfer Hallgarten Hendelberg Hallgarten Erbach Honigberg Erbach Hohenrain Erbach Marcobrunn Michelmark Rheinhell Schlossberg Siegelsberg Steinmorgen Erbach Deutelsberg Hattenheim Rheingarten Hattenheim Erbach Honigberg Erbach no vineyard Erbach Heiligenstock Kiedrich Sandgrub Kiedrich Wasseros Gräfenberg Klosterberg Eltville Steinmächer Rauenthal Langenstück Eltville Rheinberg Sonnenberg Taubenberg Kalbspflicht Steinmorgen Erbach Sandgrub Kiedrich Rauenthal Steinmächer Rauenthal Baiken Rauenthal Wülfen Rothenberg Gehrn Langenstück Nonnenberg

12 Geologische Abhandlungen von Hessen 2004, 114, 7-14 (Engl. translation 2010)

Tab. 2. Vineyard demarcation index of the Rheingau (Feb. 2004)

administrative collective collective vineyard vineyard regions vineyards assigned parish vineyard assigned parish

Martinsthal Steinmächer Rauenthal Rödchen Martinsthal Wildsau Langenberg Walluf Steinmächer Rauenthal Berg-Bildstock Walluf Langenstück Oberberg Vitusberg Walkenberg Gottesacker Frauenstein Steinmächer Rauenthal Herrnberg Frauenstein Marschall Homberg Steinmächer Rauenthal Dachsberg Schierstein Hölle Herrnberg Frauenstein Dotzheim Steinmächer Rauenthal Judenkirch Dotzheim Delkenheim Daubhaus Hochheim Grub Delkenheim no collective vineyard Neroberg Wiesbaden Kostheim Daubhaus Hochheim o. Kostheim Weiss Erd Kostheim St. Kiliansberg Steig Kostheim Daubhaus Hochheim o. Kostheim Berg Hochheim Reichestal Hochheim Daubhaus Hochheim Reichestal Hochheim Berg Stielweg Domdechaney Hölle Kirchenstück Hofmeister Königin Victoriaberg Stein Herrnberg Flörsheim Daubhaus Hochheim Herrnberg Flörsheim St. Anna Kapelle Massenheim Daubhaus Hochheim Schlossgarten Massenheim Wicker Daubhaus Hochheim König-Wilhelmsberg Wicker Mönchsgewann Nonnberg Stein Frankfurt no collective vineyard Lohrberger Hang Frankfurt Felsberg-Böddiger no collective vineyard Berg Böddiger

13 Geologische Abhandlungen von Hessen 2004, 114, 7-14 (Engl. translation 2010)

Tab. 3. Vineyard demarcation index of the Hessian Bergstraße

administrative collective collective vineyard vineyard regions vineyards assigned parish vineyard assigned parish

Seeheim-Jugenheim no collective vineyard Mundklingen Seeheim Alsbach-Hähnlein Rott Auerbach Schöntal Alsbach Auerbach Rott Auerbach Höllberg Auerbach Fürstenlager Alte Burg Zwingenberg Zwingenberg Rott Auerbach Alte Burg Zwingenberg Steingeröll Schönberg Rott Auerbach Herrnwingert Schönberg Fürstenlager Auerbach Rott Auerbach Fürstenlager Auerbach Bensheim Wolfsmagen Bensheim Hemsberg Bensheim Kalkgasse Kirchberg Paulus Streichling Zell Wolfsmagen Bensheim Streichling Bensheim Hemsberg Bensheim Gronau Wolfsmagen Bensheim Hemsberg Bensheim Schlossberg Heppenheim Steinkopf Heppenheim Stemmler Centgericht Eckweg Maiberg Unter Hambach Schlossberg Heppenheim Maiberg Heppenheim Stemmler Steinkopf Erbach Schlossberg Heppenheim Maiberg Heppenheim Rossdorf no collective vineyard Rossberg Rossberg Dietzenbach no collective vineyard Wingertsberg Dietzenbach Brensbach no collective vineyard Heilige Tanne Brensbach Klein-Umstadt no collective vineyard Stachelberg Klein-Umstadt Kleestadt no collective vineyard Stachelberg Klein-Umstadt Heubach no collective vineyard Herrnberg Gross-Umstadt Gross-Umstadt no collective vineyard Herrnberg Gross-Umstadt Gross-Umstadt no collective vineyard Steingerück Gross-Umstadt Dated: October 2004 Weinbaukartei des Landes Hessen beim RP-Darmstadt, Dezernat Weinbauamt Eltville

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